How Do You Know You’ve Been Attacked?

There is no golden standard, but criminals are becoming increasingly successful at hiding themselves. In fact the average time to detection is over 150 days! Signs you’ve been attacked include:

Someone used one of your credit accounts. Online identity theft is common. If you use credit cards online, that could be an indication a hacker was the culprit.

You start receiving odd email messages. Friends start telling you they’ve received strange emails from you (that you never sent), or you notice messages in your Sent folder you didn’t write…these are clear signs a hack has likely happened.

New programs suddenly appear. You didn’t buy it or install it, but you notice a new program has been loaded onto your computer. That’s a clear indication that someone has manipulated your computer.

A trusty password doesn’t work. If a password suddenly stops working, that could mean a hacker has broken into your computer and changed your account’s login details—and it could get worse from there.

You notice strange browser activity. Some hackers move right into a computer and control it as if they’re in front of it. If you ever notice browser activity that isn’t yours (or someone else’s in your family), that could mean trouble.

You start losing control. A computer virus can redirect your browser activity and prevent you from reaching websites you want. That’s certainly the work of a hacker who came and went.